The Only Lifestyle Tool I’m Using in 2024
How unsimplifying your life will simplify your life
There are a million and one tools and methods out there that claim to completely change your life, the gurus of the internet make it their mission to dilute the market of self help with new content, that may or may not help, It’s tricky to discern what will actually help and what just sounds good or looks good in a youtube video.
A guru that I subscribe to and gives out free actionable and practical advice is @struthless. He was the first person to break down the only tool I’ll be using in 2024 to better my life and practices.
Friction.
The concept is pretty simple, rank everything you do on a scale of friction, habits and disciplines you want to grow, lower the friction and if you want to do something less, increase the friction. By friction I mean the ease at which you can start an activity.
Implementing the concept of friction on a broader scale involves understanding how it influences our daily routines and decision-making processes. Here are some strategies to apply friction to various aspects of life:
- Digital Distractions: In today’s digital age, distractions are abundant. To reduce the friction associated with getting distracted by social media or other digital temptations, consider using apps or browser extensions that block or limit access to these platforms during specific times of the day. By increasing the friction to access these distractions, you’re more likely to stay focused on important tasks.
- Time Management: To enhance productivity and time management, create friction around time-wasting activities. For example, if you find yourself spending too much time on non-essential tasks, set timers or alarms to limit the duration of those activities.
- Financial Discipline: Friction can also be applied to financial habits. For instance, if you tend to overspend impulsively, don’t save your credit card on your Amazon. By increasing the friction associated with spending, you can save yourself from buying the newest fitness or water bottle craze.
- Health and Wellness: Friction can play a significant role in promoting healthy habits. For example, if you want to incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine, reduce the friction by scheduling regular exercise sessions and laying out your workout clothes the night before. Additionally, consider meal prepping to make healthier food choices more convenient and accessible, thus lowering the friction associated with healthy eating.
- Personal Development: To facilitate personal growth and skill development, decrease the friction associated with learning new things. This could involve setting aside dedicated time for reading, using a kindle and keeping it with you at all times. By creating a conducive environment for learning and growth, you can remove barriers that might otherwise hinder your progress.
- Relationships and Communication: Friction management can also enhance interpersonal relationships and communication. For example, if you tend to procrastinate on responding to emails or messages, establish a routine for checking and responding to communication promptly. By reducing the friction associated with staying in touch, you can strengthen connections with others and avoid unnecessary delays or misunderstandings.
Incorporating friction management into various aspects of life requires a proactive approach and a willingness to experiment with different strategies. By identifying areas where friction may be impeding your progress and implementing targeted interventions to reduce it, you can optimize your habits, routines, and decision-making processes for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and overall well-being. In the adverse, adding friction will stop the growth of useless habits.
Key Message: Make bad things harder to do and good things easier to do. You will accomplish more.
